5 Common Problems in Household Water Supplies

Movies from Chinatown to Erin Brockovich have brought to light the problems that our water supply can cause. While these are extreme cases, there are still common water problems that have caused concern in many households across the country. Hard water is found in approximately 85% of homes across the United States. And in some of these homes, there is contamination such as hydrogen sulfide gas, excess iron and cloudy water. With these problems come adverse effects, such as bad-tasting water, clothing stains, rusted pipes and more.

So how does water get contaminated in the first place? There are many points along the journey from the ground to our drinking glasses at which contamination can occur. Dumping chemicals at landfills or pesticides into the ground can cause harmful toxins to get into the supply of water. Treatment at facilities can also go wrong, with bad interactions between chlorine and other elements. And in our own homes, older plumbing systems can leak harmful materials.

Photo Credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dottiemae/5202454566/

Here are some of the common issues households face with their water supply:

Cloudiness – This is typically caused by dirt that did not get filtered out. A home filtering solution can help with this, and save appliances that use water from getting clogged by dirt particles.

Hard water – In extreme cases, hard water can contain so many minerals that those minerals can build up in pipes and on surfaces, such as in the shower, causing soap to be unable to lather up. Resolving hard water issues is very easy with the use of a filter.

Off-color water – Brownish colors that appear can be caused by a tealeaf effect through leaves that were in the water supply, or by metals such as iron or copper. When this color appears, it can begin to stain sinks and clothes, so it is important to filter out the items that are causing the color.

Rotten egg smell – This can occur after water has been sitting stagnant for a long period of time. It is hydrogen sulfide created by bacteria in the supply. If not treated, it can also become highly corrosive.

Rusty and metallic taste – Even when water appears normal, it can still have a taste of metal to it. In these cases, even though invisible to the eye, excess iron and other metals have made their way into the system, creating that aftertaste. A water filter can treat this.

If your home has suffered from any of these common problems with its water supply, make sure to get them resolved immediately before any clogs, corrosion or staining happen. Filters used in the home can prevent or solve some of these issues before they get so bad that damage occurs to your home or family.

It is indeed very important that we check where our drinking water come from. A small intake of bacteria from water could lead to several diseases. We wouldn’t want ourselves or any member of our family end up in a hospital bed just because of a single drop of water that we left unnoticed.